Type 26 Global Combat Ship

The Capability

The Type 26 Global Combat Ship will replace the 13 Type 23 surface combatant capability before the safe operating standard for legacy ships is withdrawn and the Type 23 platforms become obsolete. This decision came out of the Strategic Defence and Security Review.

The Type 26 Global Combat Ship is a globally deployable and sustainable warship that will form the spine of the Royal Navy's future fleet. It is a task group enabled Anti-Submarine Warfare warship and will combine the capabilities necessary to protect maritime task groups, the strategic deterrent and land forces, with the flexibility to conduct a wide range of other tasks. The Type 26 Global Combat Ship retains the combat power that had been provisioned for the Type 26 C1 originally, whilst enhancing endurance and intelligence gathering attributes.

Overview of Cost, Time and Performance

Approved

Forecast/Actual

Variation

IY Variation

Assessment Phase

£158m

£156m

-£2m

-

The Assessment Phase

The result of the Strategic Defence and Security Review was a change to a Global Combat Ship design that is smaller, less capable and more exportable whilst still maintaining the needs of industrial sustainability. The Strategic Defence and Security Review reduced the total surface fleet to 19 frigates and destroyers which will include six Type 45 destroyers and the current Type 23 frigates which will be replaced by Type 26 frigates after 2020.

The alignment of renamed Type 26 Global Combat Ship against the goals of the Strategic Defence and Security Review has been confirmed in an Information Note submitted to the Investment Approval Board in January 2011. This Information Note stated that:

a  Approval will be split into two parts. Approval (Main- Gate 1) will be sought in late 2011 of the requirements to be delivered by Global Combat Ship, with Main-Gate 2, the main investment decision at Quarter 3 2013. This will allow detailed costing and design work to proceed against a defined requirement so that the project will be ready for approval at Main-Gate 2 and subsequent contact signing.

b  The remaining programme key milestones remain unchanged, with planned service entry in 2021.

C  Global Combat Ship is considered to be a highly exportable surface combatant with considerable effort being expended to encourage overseas partner interest.

In order to maximise Type 26 Global Combat Ship export potential to realise wider benefits to the MOD, industry and the UK, engagement has begun with several countries to determine their requirements and how these can be matched with Type 26 Global Combat Ship. This design is being developed in close partnership with industry to improve the opportunities for these requirements to be realised in the design.